Drink Milk And Live Longer

Milk isn’t just good for the bones, it can also help the body combat heart disease, stroke and diabetes, according to a new study by UK researchers.

Professors from three universities found that drinking milk can decrease the odds of dying from coronary heart disease and stroke by as much as 20 percent.

This is the first time that the disease risks associated with milk have been examined in relation to the number of deaths attributed to those diseases, according to a statement issued by the University of Reading on Tuesday.

The researchers compared information from more than 300 previous studies on milk’s relation to stroke, coronary heart disease and diabetes with information on the number of deaths caused by those health problems.

Professor Ian Givens, of Reading, said in a statement:

“Our findings clearly show that when the numbers of deaths from CHD, stroke and colo-rectal cancer were taken into account, there is strong evidence of an overall reduction in the risk of dying from these chronic diseases due to milk consumption,”

The evidence is so clear, he said, that milk’s greatest health benefit may be the prevention of these diseases, even more so than milk’s contribution to bone health.

“There is convincing overall evidence that milk consumption is associated with an increase in survival in Western communities,”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture already recommends drinking milk regularly.

In addition to its high calcium levels, which helps build and maintain bone mass, milk also contains potassium, which helps maintain blood pressure; and vitamin D, which helps the body maintain healthy levels of calcium.